1997 Volume 37 Issue 5 Pages 321-326
In order to evaluate the gastric function of patient with eating disorder, serum concentrations of Group I pepsinogens (PG I ) and II (PG II ) have been measured by radioimmunoassays in patients with eating disorder. Forty-four female patients with eating disorder were studied. Twenty of them were patients with the restricting type of anorexia nervosa (AN-R) , fifteen were patients with the bulimic type of anorexia nervosa (AN-B) , and nine were patients with normal weight bulimia nervosa (BN) . Eleven healthy females were also studied as the control group. Serum PG I Ievels were significantly higher in groups AN-R, AN-B than those in groups BN, control and the serum PG I Ievels were also significantly higher in the group AN-B than those in the group ANR. Serum PG I Ievels in groups AN-R and AN-B decreased after treatment. Serum PG I /PG II ratios were inversly correlated with durations of illness in patients with eating disorder, particularly in BN. Although the results suggest the gastric hypersecretion in AN patients, this conclusion is not compatible with previous suggestions (McCallum W, et al) about gastric hypofunction in eating disorder patients. It may be consisted that there is another mechanism of high serum PG I Ievels in AN.
